


home

by fuyuki_peridot



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Road Trips, Romantic Fluff, Sweet, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-10 04:54:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19900156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuyuki_peridot/pseuds/fuyuki_peridot
Summary: “Home,” Minseok whispers to him, and his voice sounds oddly loud here, in the middle of the otherwise quiet meadow, where they lie together under a million stars and nothing else matters— it’s just them two, just their synced-up heartbeats and synced-up breaths and intertwined fingers— here, in the middle of the meadow, Minseok whispers to him, “is wherever you are.”(Minseok and Jongdae go on an adventure.)





	home

“Home,” Minseok whispers to him, and his voice sounds oddly loud here, in the middle of the otherwise quiet meadow, where they lie together under a million stars and nothing else matters— it’s just them two, just their synced-up heartbeats and synced-up breaths and intertwined fingers— here, in the middle of the meadow, Minseok whispers to him, “is wherever you are.”

//

Jongdae woke up late that morning. Well— not _late_ late, really, not by his standards, but it certainly was to Minseok, who woke up at the asscrack of dawn everyday anyways.

“It’s a Saturday, Min,” he whined, as he burrowed deeper beneath the thick blankets that still smelled like coconut shampoo and lavender laundry detergent, still smelled like Minseok.

“It’s nine in the morning, Dae, that’s seriously no excuse.” 

“But I need my beauty sleep.”

And then Minseok ripped the covers off with a bright smile, brighter than the sun itself, and laughed, “You don’t need it.”

“You’re just baiting me,” he said, and curled back up as if Minseok had not just stolen away his precious blankets. 

“Come on,” Minseok groaned, “don’t be ridiculous. Don’t you want breakfast?” 

Breakfast? Hell yes.

“Of course,” he said, sitting up immediately, and he’s instantly met with the sight of a smiling Minseok, soft and warm, dark hair all fluffed up from sleep and skin all glowy and warm in the morning sun.

Minseok takes his hand with a grin and pulls him out of bed, deceptively strong despite his seemingly small and cuddly body. “Then let’s go.” 

And that’s all the convincing Jongdae needed.

Within fifteen minutes, he and Minseok had both gotten ready, Minseok in a soft, blue sweater, with a white stripe across its chest and a white-collared shirt underneath. Jongdae cooed at the bottom of the shirt sticking out beneath his sweater. It made Minseok do that precious smile of his, the shy one where he shows all of his gums and looks down at the floor and makes Jongdae’s heart overflow with so much love and adoration and affection for this one human being—

“Ready to go?” Minseok chirped.

He took Minseok’s soft, warm hand— everything about him is soft and warm— and said, “Whenever you are.”

They biked to the bakery down the street, because the weather was lovely and cool and the sky was incredibly bright and the clouds were all fluffy and cute, and it was a perfect day to be out. A perfect day to go on a perfect date with a perfect person.

They lock their bikes together at the front of the store. Actually, it’s Minseok doing the locking— Jongdae is busy scanning over the little menu in front of the store, as if he was going to order something other than the chocolate almond croissant and latte, complete with the foamy art on top. 

“Know what you want?” Minseok asked.

“Yes,” he replied, and laced his hand together with Minseok’s.

A twinkling bell signaled their arrival and a familiar face greeted them _good morning_ from behind the display counter.

“Morning, Soo,” he called out, and seated himself at a window seat while Minseok made his way to the front. He watched his boyfriend, bathed in warm square of golden sunlight, as he picked out the pastries and made small talk with Kyungsoo. He watched his cheeks bunch up, crinkling his pretty eyes into crescents as he laughs at whatever the baker had just said. He watched Minseok and fell in love with the way he did even the most mundane and ordinary things, fell in love with the warmth and sweetness that radiated from his every single cell, fell in love, head over heels, all over again.

Minseok soon came back with Kyungsoo in tow, who balanced a delicate tray of chocolate almond croissant, a berry danish, and another delicious-looking pastry he couldn’t quite name, along with two lattes, with the art on top.

“Thanks, Soo,” he smiled. “You’re the best.”

“I know,” Kyungsoo deadpanned, but the twinkle in his eyes betrayed his cool facade.

“And me?” Minseok asked when Kyungsoo had gone.

“You’re second best. Only because you refused to cuddle me when I was sick last week so we couldn’t do a cheesy sick lovers trope—”

“You’re ridiculous,” Minseok said for the second time that morning, but Jongdae is willing to hear it a hundred times if it’s always accompanied by that sweet smile, by that soft voice, by that bright laugh. “I got you your favorite and even an extra espresso mousse puff pastry and this is how you thank me?”

“No,” Jongdae laughed, “this is how I’ll thank you.”

And he pressed a soft kiss to Minseok’s pretty lips.

//

“Let’s go on a road trip,” Minseok suggested as soon as they got back home. “Go on an adventure, to somewhere we’ve never been before.”

“Now?”

Minseok wrapped his arms around his waist, pulled him close and rested his head on Jongdae’s shoulder. “Right now.”

“Okay,” Jongdae said, because he would do anything and everything Minseok asked of him, because love makes you think crazy things like that, and even so, Jongdae revels in it, would love to drown in it if he could live in the endless warmth and happiness that Minseok brings.

“Let’s pack some snacks,” he mumbled, and Jongdae kind of felt it more than heard it. He tangled a hand in Minseok’s soft hair, breathed in the coconut shampoo and lavender laundry detergent and the hints of bakery bread that now lingered in his skin.

“Okay,” he repeated. “I’ll make sandwiches.”

“And we can make cookies together.”

“I’ll pack milk, then.”

Minseok laughed and the sound flooded him with such fondness he wouldn't have thought it possible, had he not felt like this everytime Minseok smiled, laughed, did anything, really.

“Let’s get started. I want to be there by sunset so we can have a nice view.”

“Where’s there?”

Minseok pulled away and opened the fridge, began pulling out bread and slices of cheese and deli meat. “Anywhere.”

“Got anything in mind?” He took the food from Minseok’s hands and set them on the counter. “A beach would be nice.”

“You want a beach day?” Minseok said, eyes alight with excitement, eyes shining with love.

“If that’s what you want, yes.”

“But I asked what you want.”

“I want whatever you want.”

“Beach day it is,” he laughed. “Let’s get there by afternoon and then we can have a bonfire with marshmallows. And then— I actually have another place in mind.”

Jongdae finished up the sandwiches and reached around his boyfriend for the Ziploc bags. “Let’s go there instead, then.”

“No, we’ll go after the beach. I’ll go get blankets and towels right now. For the beach, and for my place.” 

“Grab the picnic basket on your way,” he yelled as Minseok ran upstairs. “And get the red-checkered picnic blanket to match! It’ll be cute!”

“Got it!” Minseok called back, and Jongdae laughed at the sound of little footsteps, soft and light, in the padded kitty socks that he had gotten from Baekhyun, who, for some reason, thought it would be humiliating and hilarious rather than heart-warmingly endearing.

He came back with an old beach bag, worn down from use, its bright blues and pinks long faded. It’s stuffed with striped towels and, peeking out of the side, the checkered picnic blanket. 

“Yay,” Jongdae cheered. “Now it’s cookie time.”

So Minseok dived into the fridge once more, this time grabbing eggs and butter and chocolate chips. Jongdae rummaged in Minseok’s baking closet for the flour and sugar and baking soda— or was it powder?— he doesn’t know the difference anyways.

“I can help you, right?” he asked as he packed the sandwiches and milk bottles into a little lunch tote.

Minseok carefully lifted the stand mixer out and onto the counter. “I don’t see why not.”

But Jongdae ended up watching, rather than helping, anyways. He perched his chin on Minseok’s shoulder and laced his hands around his waist, only leaving to help Minseok throw away the eggshells and get things he forgot to grab himself.

Jongdae peeled himself away from Minseok once more to look through his various tools. “Let’s use this heart-shaped cookie cutter.”

“Sure,” Minseok agreed, holding his hand out for the tool. 

Jongdae tucks it into his palm, then quickly retracts it. “Can I cut them?”

“Of course, Dae,” he smiled, and Jongdae melted through the floorboards once more. “You can start now. I’m going to wash my hands first.”

And while Minseok’s back was turned, he reached into the mixing bowl and snuck in a few bites of cookie dough, making sure to get chunks with more chocolate than cookie, and then allows himself one more—

Minseok smacks his wrist. “Stop eating my dough,” he laughed.

“But it’s good dough,” he mumbled, mouth full. “I can’t help myself.”

Minseok batted him away again to actually cut the dough into hearts, like Jongdae was supposed to do, before his weak will crumbled to the glorious, sinful temptation that is cookie dough.

“Do you want to cut them or not?” Minseok huffed.

“Yes.”

“Then get your ass over here.” 

“Just my ass?” he teased, wiggling his eyebrows.

It earned him another smack from Minseok, but also another laugh, and, well, Jongdae will take what he can get.

//

They packed their things into the car by eleven and got on the road by eleven-fifteen.

Minseok drove with one hand on the wheel, the other in Jongdae’s. They talked a little bit, at the beginning of the drive, but after that, they sit quietly, listening to the bright music blasting out of the speaker and admiring the scenery they passed by. They passed flower-dotted meadows and quaint little towns and bustling cities and gently rolling hills.

At one-thirty, they took a restroom break, and to also buy marshmallows, because Jongdae is an intellectual giant who remembered to pack firewood and fuel and skewers, but not marshmallows. And because Minseok is Minseok, kind and sweet and eternally patient, they turned the break into a mini ice cream date.

“Lucky there’s a gas station out here,” Minseok commented. “I wouldn’t have expected anything to be out here, in the middle of nowhere.”

Jongdae didn’t reply just yet, busy stuffing his face with a chocolate-covered vanilla bar and watching the low, wispy clouds pass by. Minseok chose that moment to lean over and take a big bite out of his bar. He took a bite out of Minseok’s in retaliation, then pulled a face at the bitter flavor. “You chose a dark chocolate bar? Disgusting.”

“Your childish tastes appall me,” Minseok replied casually. He stood up and stretched, loudly popping multiple joints that make Jongdae wince. “Now hurry or we’ll run out of time.”

“Wait,” Jongdae said. “I want to watch the clouds first.”

And so Minseok, kind and sweet and eternally patient, sat with him, sun-warmed right hand entwined with his left, and together, they watched the paint-brushed clouds roll in the bright sky.

“That one looks like a dog,” he remarked, using his popsicle stick to point at said dog-shaped cloud.

“I think it looks more like a cat,” Minseok said. “But that one over there—” he points with his left hand, and Jongdae feels Minseok’s other hand point in his own hand as well— “looks like a dog head.” 

“No, I think it looks like a horse head.”

“You’re looking at the wrong cloud,” Minseok told him, and then cupped Jongdae’s face and turned him a bit more to the left. “That one, right above the tallest peak of that mountain range over there.”

He still didn’t see a dog head, because he was looking at Minseok instead. 

“Mhm,” he agreed blindly.

Minseok turned to him. “You’re not even looking at the clouds.”

“I’ve got a better view right here.”

“Too bad,” Minseok said, beginning to smile, “I’ve got the best view of them all.”

“Cheesy,” he laughed, but he accepted Minseok’s kiss with a smile anyways.

//

They arrived at the beach by three.

Jongdae stumbled out onto the parking lot, arms ladened with a food-packed picnic basket and a blanket-stuffed beach bag. It also didn’t help that the long drive left his legs feeling stiff and weak, but it’s okay, because they’re here now, at a beach Minseok picked, far far away from everyone else. 

There was a light, refreshing breeze, and the pristine sand glimmered with azure ocean water. The sun, almost setting, sparkled like diamonds on the surface of the sea. Jongdae thought that it might be the kind of picturesque scene that would be in a Studio Ghibli movie.

“It’s gorgeous,” he breathed.

Minseok closed the car door. “It’s so out of the way, so there’s hardly any people.”

He was right. Other than them, there wasn’t a single soul on the beach. They had it all to themselves. 

Minseok joined him by his side and took the beach bag from him. “Let’s go set up and have— lunch? Dinner?”

“Dunch?” Jongdae laughed.

“Linner,” Minseok said, and they both laughed at that. 

So they both went and laid their checkered blanket down on a patch of dry, white sand, where the tide had not yet reached. It would get lower throughout the day, so they were fine as they were right there. 

They ate slowly, with no words exchanged between them, because for soulmates who knew each other inside out, there was really no need to, right? 

Instead, Jongdae listened to the waves on the beach and the gulls cawing and the soft wind and Minseok’s breathing, even and relaxed. And— yes, they drove all the way out here to look at the beach, but— Jongdae could not help but stare at Minseok, at this beautiful boy who contained all the love and beauty and happiness in the world in his compact body. Jongdae could not help but stare at the way the golden sunlight painted his smooth skin warm and glowing, at the way the wind gently tousled his coconut shampoo scented hair and his lavender laundry detergent scented sweater, at the way he smiled all small and soft like he didn’t realize he was doing it, like he was perfect without even trying and Jongdae supposed that it’s because he was.

Then Minseok’s eyes went a little wide. “I’m stupid,” he said. “I forgot to pack swim trunks.”

“That’s okay,” he replied, taking Minseok’s hand in his. “We can just have a romantic walk and then roast marshmallows.

They finished their sandwiches quickly, and after making sure the wind wouldn’t carry their things away, they walked down the shore for almost half an hour, sometimes wading through the ankle-deep water or racing along the white sand. Minseok found a pretty shell, broken into a heart shape and iridescent on the inside, and pocketed it. “Let’s go back now,” he said. “We still need to set up the fire to roast marshmallows.”

So they headed back, hand in hand, leisurely strolling along this time. At one point, when he turned and saw Minseok’s profile, backlit by the golden sun, he was filled with such awe and wonder for this one man that his body couldn’t contain it, couldn’t contain the overflowing happiness Minseok gives him, couldn’t breathe at the vision of beauty and love before him. And so he tripped very gracefully and romantically on absolutely nothing.

Minseok helped him back up, but not without a laugh that he so thoughtfully attempted to disguise as a cough. Keyword being attempted.

Jongdae patted himself down, brushed the sand off. “Don’t laugh at me.”

“Sorry,” Minseok said, but his crescent-shaped eyes and wide grin made it clear that really, he wasn’t sorry at all. 

“You have to set up the fire,” he sniffed. “To make it up to me.”

Minseok’s hand laced with his again. “I will.”

Which was a lie, because they contributed to the fire in equal amounts, and that’s honestly okay, because whatever they do, if they’re together, then Jongdae is happy. 

Once the fire was up and running, the sun was more than halfway down its slow descent towards the horizon. Not quite low enough to light up the sea and sky in a blaze of dazzling colors, but everything was starting to glow with a warm, golden light. 

Minseok and Jongdae didn't eat many s’mores, actually, but that’s only because they just had _linner_ and they still had cookies to spare also. Jongdae would have been able to eat a dozen. He loved sweet things, after all. That’s why he loves Minseok.

“What’re you smirking about,” Minseok said, narrowing his eyes. 

“Nothing bad, I swear!” he promised, and then yelped when Minseok pinched his thigh. 

//

By the time they pack up their supplies and get back into the car, it’s already getting dark. Jongdae hadn’t realized they spent so long lounging around on the beach. 

They're headed towards Minseok’s destination, now— no matter how much he pestered him, Minseok wouldn’t tell Jongdae where they were going. 

So he just trusted in the love of his life, watched the scenery fly by and change. 

He fell asleep at one point, but when he woke up, they’re here, in a field of flowers under a black sky. 

“It’s dark, Min,” he said. “What’s the point of—”

“Stargazing,” Minseok smiled. 

Ah. So that’s why he chose such a faraway place.

They laid their blankets down side by side, and pull out the spare hoodies Minseok had packed in secret. They’re both Minseok’s— “Oops,” Minseok whispered— but that just meant Jongdae got to wear Minseok’s soft, comfortable hoodie, got to breathe in the coconut shampoo and lavender detergent.

They sat down, at first, trying and spectacularly failing to weave flower crowns for each other, but they wore each other’s creations anyways. They tried until Jongdae finally caught a glimpse of a shooting star, and then finally they laid down and watched the sky.

And now, here they are, holding hands and staring up at the cosmos. The sky is no longer black— it’s a deep, rich blue, royal and elegant, lit up by an infinite number of stars. They are bathed in moonlight, pale and shimmering, and Jongdae cannot help but stare at Minseok in all his radiance and admire the beauty this man possesses. 

Minseok turns towards him before he can look back up. “What?” 

“You look beautiful,” Jongdae says, “in the moonlight.”

“Just in the moonlight?” Minseok teases, wiggling his eyebrows, an echo of earlier today in their kitchen, and it makes Jongdae laugh in spite of himself.

“No,” he says, once he’s stopped laughing. “You’re always beautiful.”

Minseok laughs, then, and it makes Jongdae laugh again, and then they’re both laughing and nuzzling into each other, cold despite the extra clothing and the warmth in their hearts.

“You wanna know something?” Minseok asks him, once they’ve stopped giggling like the love-struck idiots that they are. 

He nuzzles his face deeper into the crook of Minseok’s neck, breathing in his coconut shampoo and lavender detergent. “Sure.”

“Home,” Minseok whispers to him, and his voice sounds oddly loud here, in the middle of the otherwise quiet meadow, where they lie together under a million stars and nothing else matters— it’s just them two, just their synced-up heartbeats and synced-up breaths and intertwined fingers— here, in the middle of the meadow, Minseok whispers to him, “is wherever you are.”

He looks up at Minseok, sees his eyes lit up by the sky, and he realizes— who needs to stargaze when the entire universe is here, in the depths of Minseok’s warm, brown eyes? All of the beauty and love and happiness in the universe is contained here, in Minseok’s existence, in his smile and in his laugh.

“I love you,” Minseok says.

Jongdae sits up, takes the messy flower crown off so he can kiss Minseok properly, softly, sweetly, with all of the love and admiration he possesses. 

“I love you too,” he whispers.

**Author's Note:**

> they didn't even get to eat the cookies... i wonder what they did with them ?


End file.
